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Ult. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


IN  MEMORY  OF 

PROFESSOR  ALBERT  H.  MOWBRAY 
1881— 1949 


TWO  LATIN  PLAYS  FOR 
HIGH-SCHOOL  STUDENTS 


BY 

SUSAN  PAXSON 

INSTRUCTOR  IN   LATIN   IN  THE   OMAHA  HIGH  SCHOOL 


GINN  AND  COMPANY 

BOSTON  •  NEW  YORK  •  CHICAGO  •  LONDON 


COPYRIGHT,  1911,  BY  SUSAN   PAX80N 

ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 

811.5 


GIFT 


GINN  AND  COMPANY  •  PRO- 
PRIETORS •  BOSTON  •  U.S.A. 


P/\s.ioi 

9z^ 


CUI  BONO? 

If  this  little  entertainment  shall  give  pleasure  and  he 
of  profit  to  any  who  have  set  out  on  their  toil- 
some journey  into  the  realm  of  Latin 
Literature^  the  writer  s  aim 
will  he  accomplished 


M684604 


PREFATORY  NOTE 

I  am  greatly  indebted  to  Mrs.  C.  H.  Beeson  and  to 
Professor  Frank  J.  Miller,  of  the  University  of  Chicago. 
To  the  former,  for  her  most  scholarly  and  generous 
assistance  in  the  correcting  of  the  manuscript  and  for 
her  many  valuable  suggestions  throughout  the  work; 
to  the  latter,  for  his  painstaking  reading  of  the  proof 
and  for  his  kindly  and  helpful  interest.  In  fact,  it  was 
largely  due  to  the  helpful  uplift  that  came  to  some  of 
my  advanced  classes,  as  well  as  to  myself,  from  the 
presentation  of  Professor  Miller's  *'  Dramatizations  from 
Vergil "  that  these  little  plays  were  written. 

SUSAN  PAXSON 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction ix 

A  Roman  School 1 

Costumes 16 

A  Roman  Wedding 19 

Costumes  and  Suggestions               37 


vii 


INTRODUCTION 

In  response  to  the  invitation  of  the  author  and  pub- 
lishers, I  am  glad  to  stand  godfather  to  this  little 
book  of  original  Latin  plays.  They  are  the  product  of 
an  enthusiastic  teacher  cooperating  with  students  whom 
she  has,  in  part  by  this  means,  inspired  with  a  genuine 
interest  in  Roman  life  and  its  expression  in  the  Latin 
tongue.  They  offer  a  helpful  contribution  to  the  solution 
of  the  ever-present  and  vexing  problem  which  teachers  of 
Latin  in  secondary  schools  are  meeting:  How  can  we 
make  this  Latin  interesting  to  our  pupils  ?  How  can 
we  compete  with  departments  which  more  easily  hold 
the  pupils'  interest  because  their  subject  matter  touches 
more  nearly  the  various  phases  of  modern  life  ?  It  is, 
indeed,  true  that  any  subject  well  taught  by  a  live 
teacher  will  interest  pupils.  But,  even  where  this  con- 
dition is  realized,  the  need  is  being  felt  more  and  more 
of  something  which  will  vary  the  deadly  monotony  in- 
cident to  the  learning  of  the  technique  of  a  language, 
especially  one  which  makes  its  appeal  largely  to  the  eye 
alone  through  the  medium  of  the  printed  page. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  encouraging  features  of  our 
present-day  classical  work  that  teachers  more  and  more 
are  inventing  ways  of  vitalizing  their  teaching  without 
weakening  it.  For  this  must  always  be  borne  in  mind : 
that  we  are  not  seeking  to  gain  mere  interest.    What  we 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION 

want  is  interest  in,  Latin,  We  want  our  students  to 
be  so  interested  that  they  will  cheerfully  endure  all  the 
hardships  incident  to  this  study  because  they  have  dis- 
covered that  it  is  worth  while  in  itself,  because  it  has 
come  to  mean  something  to  them,  because  it  actually 
touches  their  own  lives. 

If  the  reader  will  scan  the  department  of  ''Current 
Events"  in  the  present  volume  of  the  ClassicaUournaly 
he  will  find  many  indications  of  this  new  spirit  among 
classical  teachers  in  the  schools.  Thus  we  find  a  Latin 
club  in  a  high  school  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  giving,  among 
other  activities,  an  exhibition  of  a  Roman  triclinium,  in 
which  the  whole  scene  was  enacted  as  nearly  as  possible 
in  the  Roman  fashion,  accompanied  by  Latin  songs.  And 
thus  the  pupils  were  made  to  realize  that  the  Roman's 
life  was  not  entirely  one  of  warfare,  but  that  he  ate, 
drank,  and  acted  as  a  real  human  being.  In  Kansas,  a 
classical  club  was  recently  organized  by  the  students  of 
Hiawatha  Academy,  whose  program  consists  of  talks  on 
classical  subjects  and  Latin  songs,  followed  by  a  social 
hour  enlivened  by  Latin  games.  In  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  a 
live  Latin  club  has  originated  in  an  exceptionally  strong 
Caesar  class.  They  call  themselves  the  Legio  Decima,  be- 
cause they  scorn  "  anything  that  has  to  do  with  cavalry" ! 
Their  program  abounds  in  live  topics  connected  with  the 
Latin  work  and  unique  representations  of  Roman  life. 
-  But  the  greatest  success  seems  to  have  been  gained 
through  the  dramatic  presentation  of  matter  pertinent  to 
the  students'  work.  We  read  of  a  spirited  entertainment 
by  the  students  of  a  Seattle  high  school,  in  which  were 
given  scenes  from  the  "Menaechmi"  of  Plautus,  together 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

with  the  singing  of  several  odes  of  Horace  which  had 
been  set  to  appropriate  music.  Others  have  attempted 
a  play  of  Terence.  Scores  of  schools  have  presented 
dramatized  scenes  from  Vergil ;  and  we  read  of  a  school 
in  Georgia  where  Horace's  ninth  satire,  itself  a  complete 
little  drama  as  it  stands,  was  played  by  the  students.  In 
the  same  school  portions  of  Caesar  were  dramatized  and 
acted;  and  a  dramatization  based  on  the  conspiracy 
of  Catiline  was  recently  sent  to  me  from  a  school  m 
Indiana. 

From  all  these  and  many  other  points  it  is  reported 
that  great  interest  is  aroused  among  the  students,  pri- 
marily in  the  fact  and  production  of  the  play  itself,  but 
resulting  also  in  a  permanent  interest  in  the  more  seri- 
ous and  regular  work  of  the  Latin  class.  The  author 
of  the  plays  presented  in  this  book  has  herself  already 
reaped  rich  rewards  of  her  work  in  the  continued  zeal 
of  her  students  for  their  Latin  study  after  they  have 
passed  on  to  college.  She  writes  that  the  boy  who 
played  "  Cicero  "  in  the  wedding  last  year  is  now  a 
freshman  in  an  eastern  college,  and  still  finds  Latin  the 
work  of  his  greatest  interest  and  success ;  and  the  girl 
who  was  "  Tullia  "  in  the  play  is  also  a  freshman  in  col- 
lege, with  zeal  and  courage  enough  to  attempt  the  com- 
position of  Latin  hymns. 

The  difficulty  heretofore  felt  by  teachers  and  their 
Latin  clubs  has  been  in  finding  appropriate  plays  in 
Latin  simple  enough  for  their  pupils  to  master  without 
undue  hardship,  and  appealing  strongly  in  their  sub- 
ject matter  to  the  young  student;  and  I  feel  sure  that 
in  these  two  plays,  "A  Roman  School "  and  "A  Roman 


^Kii  INTRODUCTION 

Wedding,"  will  be  found  just  the  material  which  has 
been  sought.  Aside  from  the  awakened  interest  of  the 
student  and  the  vivid  impression  which  his  mind  will 
receive  of  these  two  important  phases  of  Roman  life, 
who  can  estimate  the  actual  gain  in  the  acquisition  of 
the  Latin  language  itself,  which  will  come  not  alone  to 
those  students  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  take  part  in 
these  plays,  but  to  those  as  well  who  listen  to  the  re- 
hearsals and  to  the  final  production  ? 

I  therefore  most  cordially  commend  these  plays  to 
all  teachers  of  Latin,  and  urge  that  they  be  presented  in 
the  schools  each  year  wherever  possible. 

FRANK  JUSTUS  MILLER 
The  University  of  Chicago 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

90  B.C. 


DRAMATIS  PERSONAE 

Magister 

Servi 

Paedagogus 

Aulas  Licinius  Archias    "| 

Publius  Licinius  Crassus  J 

Gains  Licinius  Crassus,  adulescens 

Discipuli 

Marcus  Tullius  Cicero 
Quintus  Tullius  Cicero 
Liicius  Sergius  Catilina 
Marcus  Antonius 
Gains  liilins  Caesar 
Appius  Claudius  Caecus 
Gnaens  Pompeius 
Piiblins  Clodius  Pnlcher 
Marcus  liinins  Brutus 
Quintus  Hortensius  Hortalus 
Liicius  Licinius  Liicullus 
Gains  Claudius  Marcellus 
Marcus  Claudius  Marcellus 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

When  the  curtain  is  drawn,  plain  wooden  benches  are  seen  ar- 
ranged in  order  on  the  stage.  Two  boys  stand  at  the  blackboard, 
playing  "odd  or  even";  two  others  are  noisily  playing  nuces^;  one 
is  playing  with  a  top,  another  is  rolling  a  hoop,  and  a  third  is  draw- 
ing a  little  toy  cart.  Three  boys  in  the  foreground  are  playing  ball. 
They  are  Quintus  Cicero,  Marcus  Cicero,  and  Marcus  Antonius.  With 
their  conversation  the  scene  begins. 

Q,  Cic,    Mihi  pilam  da ! 
M,  Cic,    O,  da  locum  melioribus  ! 
M,  Ant   Tu,  Marce,  pilam  non  recte  remittis.   Oportet 
altius  iacere. 

M.  Cic.    lam  satis  alta  erit.    Hanc  excipe  !  6 

(Tosses  the  ball  very  high.) 
M,  Mar,  (going  up  to  L.  Lucullus  who  has  the  cart).    Mihi 
plostellum  da. 

L,  Luc,  Non,  hoc  plostellum  est  meum.  Si  tu.  plostel- 
lum cupis,  domum  reversus  inde  pete. 

M,  Mar,    Mihi  tu  non  gratus  es,  Luci  Luculle.  10 

(The  Magister  enters  and  loudly  calls  the  roll,  those 
present  answering  adsum.') 

Mag,  Marcus  Tullius  Cicero. 

Quintus  Tullius  Cicero. 

1  "  Four  or  five  of  these  (walnuts)  are  piled  pyramidally  together, 
when  the  players,  withdrawing  to  a  short  distance,  pitch  another  wal- 
nut at  them,  and  he  who  succeeds  in  striking  and  dispersing  the  heap 
wins."   Story,  "  Roba  di  Roma,"  p.  128. 

3 


4  A  ROMAN   SCHOOL 

Lucius  Sergius  Catilma. 
(Catilina  is  absent  and  all  shout  abest.) 
Marcus  Antonius. 
Gaius  Claudius  Marcellus. 
Gaius  lulius  Caesar. 
5  Appius  Claudius  Caecus. 

(Appius  is  absent  and  all  again  shout  abest.) 
Lucius  Licinius  Lucullus. 
Gnaeus  Pompeius. 
Publius  Clodius  Pulcher. 
Marcus  Junius  Brutus. 
10  Quintus  Hortensius  Hortalus. 

Marcus  Claudius  Marcellus. 
Nunc,  pueri,  percipite,  quaeso,  diligenter,  quae  dicam, 
et  ea  penitus  animis  vestris  mentibusque  mandate.    Sine 
mora  respondete.     (Writes  on  the  board  the  sentence  "  Omnis 
15  res  di  regunt.")     Nomen  di,  Marce  Cicero,  describe. 

M.  Cic,  Di  est  nomen,  est  cleclinationis  secundae, 
generis  masculini,  numeri  pluralis,  casus  nominativi,  ex 
regula  prima,  quae  dicit :  Nomen  quod  subiectum  verbi 
est,  in  casu  nominativo  ponitur. 
20  Mag,  Bene,  Marce,  bene !  Olim  eris  tii  magnus  vir, 
eris  consul,  eris  orator  clarissimus,  quod  tam  diligens 
es.  Quinte  Cicero  !  (Enter  Catilina  late.  He  is  accompanied 
by  a  paedagogus  carrying  a  bag  with  tabellae.)  O  puer  piger, 
homo  perditissimus  eris.  Quo  usque  tandem  abutere, 
25  Catilina,  patientia  nostra  ?   Vapulabis. 

L.  Cat    O  magister,  mihi  parce,  frugi  ero,  frugi  ero. 
Mag,   Catilina,  more  et  exemplo  populi  Romani,  tibi 
nullo  modo  parcere  possum.   Accedite,  seryi !    (Enter  two 
servi,  one  of  whom  takes  Catilina  by  the  head,  the  other  by  the 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL  5 

feet,  while  the  magister  pretends  to  flog  him  severely,  and  then 
resumes  the  lesson.^)  Pergite,  pueri.  Quinte  Cicero,  verbum 
regunt  describe. 

Q,  Cic,  (hesitatingly).  i?g^i^7i^  est  verbum.  Est  coniugati- 
5nis  secundae,  coniugationis  secundae,  coniugationis  se  . . .  5 

Mag.  Male,  Quinte.  Tu  es  minus  diligens  fratre  tuo 
Marco.  Nescis  quantum  me  htiius  negoti  taedeat.  Si 
pensum  eras  non  confeceris,  est  mihi  in  animo  ad  tuum 
patrem  scribere.  Haec  nil  iocor.  Tuam  nequitiam  non 
diutius  feram,  non  patiar,  non  sinam.  10 

Q,  Cic,  O  di  immortales,  talem  avertite  casum  et  ser- 
vate  pios  pueros,  quamquam  pigri  sunt. 

Mag,    Quinte  Hortensi,  verbum  regunt  describe. 

Q,  Hot,    Regunt  est  verbum ;  praesens  est  rego  ;  in- 
finitivus,  regere;  perfectum,  rexi;  supinum,  rectum.   Est  16 
coniugationis  tertiae,  generis  activi,  modi  indicativi. 

Mag.  Recte,  recte,  Quinte !  Bonus  puer  es.  Gnaei 
Pompei,  perge. 

Gn.  Pom.  (crying).    Non  pergere  possum. 

Mag.  O  puer  parve,  pergere  potes.    Hanc  placentam  20 
accipe.    lam  perge. 

CrU.  Pom.  (taking  the  little  cake  and  eating  it).  Regunt 
temporis  praesentis  est ;  personae  tertiae  ;  numeri  pliira- 
lis  n5men  sequens,  ex  regula  secunda,  quae  dicit :  Ver- 
bum personam  numerumque  nominis  sequitur.  25 

Mag.  Recte  !  Nonne  tibi  dixi  te  rem  exponere  posse  ? 
Nihil  agis,  Gnaei  Pompei,  nihil  moliris,  nihil  cogitas,  quod 
non  ego  non  modo  audiam,  sed  etiam  videam  planeque 
sentiam.    Gai  Marcelle,  tempus  futurum  flecte. 

1  See  Johnston,  '^Private  Life  of  the  Romans,"  p.  81 ;  or  Miller, 
*'Tlie  Story  of  a  Roman  Boy." 


6  A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

Gi.  Mar.    Regam^  reges^  reget^  regemus^  regetis^  regent 
Mag.    Quae  pars  orationis  est  omnis,  Gai  ? 
Gr.  Mar.    Omnis  est  adiectivum, 

Mag.    Recte;  estne  omnis  declinabile  an  indeclinabile, 
5  Publi  Pulcher  ? 

P.  Pul.    Omnis  est  declinabile,  omnis,  omne. 
»  Mag.    In  quo  casu  est  omnis,  Marce  Brute  ? 

M.  Bru.    Omnis  est  casus  acctisativi  ex  regula  quae" 
dicit:  Nomen  adiectivum  casum  et  genus  nominis  sub- 
10  stantivi  sequitur. 

Mag.    Cuius  declinationis  est  omnis,  Marce  Marcelle  ? 
M.  Mar.    Omnis  est  declinationis  tertiae. 
Mag.    Potesne  omnis  declinare  ? 

M.  Mar.    Oppido,  magister,  ausculta.   (Declines  omnis.) 
15       Mag.   Marcus  Claudius,  suo  more,  op  time  fecit.   Quam 
constructionem  habet  res,  Marce  Brute  ? 

M.  Bru.    lies  est  nomen  casus  accusativi,  quod  obiec- 
tum  verbi  regunt  est.    (Enter  Appius  Caecus  late.    His  paeda- 
gogus  accompanies  him.) 
20      Paed.    Magister,  Appius  Claudius  hodie  mane  aeger 
est,  idcirco  tarde  venit.    (Exit.) 

Mag.    Poenas  da,  "  Mica,  Mica,"  recita. 
App.  Caec.     Mica,  mica,  parva  stella, 

Miror  quaenam  sis,  tam  bella ! 
25    .  Splendens  eminus  in  illo 

Alba  velut  gemma  caelo. 

Quando  fervens  Sol  discessit, 
Nee  calore  prata  pascit, 
Mox  ostendis  lumen  piirum 
30  Micans,  micans  per  obsciirum. 

Mag.    Quis  alius  recitare  potest  ? 

All  (shouting).    Ego  possum,  ego  possum. 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL  7 

Mag,    Bene ;  Marce  Antoni,  recita. 

M,  Ant,  Tres  philosophi  de  Tusculo 

Mare  navigarunt  vasculo ; 
Si  vas  fuisset  tutius 
Tibi  canerem  diutius.  6 

Others  (shouting).    Milii  recitare  liceat. 

Mag,    Recita,  Gnaei  Pompei. 

G-n,  Pom,  loannes,  loannes,  tlbicine  natus, 
Fugit  perniciter  porcum  furatus. 
Sed  porcus  voratus,  loannes  delatus,  10 

Et  plorans  per  vias  it  fur,  flagellatus. 

M,  Bru,  (holding  up  his  hand).  Novum  carmen  ego  pos- 
sum recitare. 

Mag,    Et  tu,  Brute  !  Perge ! 

M,  Bru,         Gains  cum  Gaia  in  montem  15 

Yeniunt  ad  hauriendum  f  ontem  ; 
Gains  prolapsus  f regit  frontem, 
Traxit  secum  Gaiam  insontem.^ 

Mag,    Hoc  satis  est  hodie.    Nunc,  pueri,  cor —    Quid 
tibi  vis,  Quinte  Hortensi  ?    Facis  ut  to  to  corpore  con-  20 
tremiscam. 

Q,  Hor,  (who  has  been  shaking  his  hand  persistently).  Ma- 
gister,  ego  novos  versus  pronuntiare  possum.  Soror  mea 
eos  me  docuit. 

Mag.    Recita  celeriter.  25 

Q,  Hor,  lacobulus  Horner 

Sedebat  in  corner 
Edens  Saturnalicium  pie ; 
Inseruit  thumb, 

Extraxit  plum,  30 

Clamans,  Quam  acer  puer  sum  I. 

1  Here,  as  well  as  elsewhere,  remember  that  Gains  and  Gaia  are 
each  three  syllables. 


8  A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

Mag,    Nunc,  pueri,  corpora  exercete.   Unum,  duo,  tria. 

(The  discipuli  now  perform  gymnastic  exercises,  following  the 
example  of  the  magister,  who  goes  through  the  movements  with 
them.  These  may  be  made  very  amusing,  especially  if  the  follow- 
ing movements  are  used  :  Arms  sideways  —  stretch  ;  heels  — 
raise,  knee  bend  ;  forehead  —  firm  ;  right  knee  upward  —  bend.) 

Mag,  Considite.  Pensum  crastinum  est  pensum  deci- 
mum.  Cavete  ne  hoc  obliviscamini.  Pensum  crastinum 
est  pensum  decimum.  Et  porro  hunc  versum  discite : 
5  ''  Superanda  omnis  fortuna  ferendo  est."  (The  magister  re- 
peats this  verse  emphatically  several  times  in  a  loud  and  formal 
tone,  the  discipuli  repeating  it  after  him  at  the  top  of  their  voices.) 
lam  geographia  nobis  consideranda  est  et  Galliae  opera 
danda.  Quid  de  Gallia  potes  tu  dlcere,  Marce  Marcelle  ? 
10  M,  Mar.  Gallia  est  omnis  divisa  in  partes  tres,  quarum 
unam  incolunt  Belgae,  aliam  Aquitani,  tertiam  qui  ipso- 
rum  lingua  Celtae,  nostra  Galli  appellantur. 

Mag,  Pabli  Palcher,  horum  omnium,  qui fortissimi  sunt? 

P,  Put,    Horum  omnium  fortissimi  sunt  Belgae. 
15      Mag,    Mihi  die  cur  Belgae  fortissimi  sint. 

P,  Put,  Belgae  fortissimi  sunt  propterea  quod  a  cviltu 
atque  humanitate  Romae  longissime  absunt,  minimeque 
ad  eos  mercatores  Romani  saepe  commeant  atque  ea  quae 
ad  effeminandos  animos  pertinent,  important. 
20       Mag,    Quis  fines  Galliae  designare  potest  ? 

All  (raising  hands).    Ego,  ego  possum. 

Mag,    Luci  Luculle,  Galliae  fines  designa. 

L.  Luc,   Gallia  initium  capit  a  fiumine  Rhodano ;  con- 
tinetur  Garumna  fiumine,  Oceano,  finibus  Belgarum  ;  at- 
25  tingit  flixmen  Rhenum  ab  Sequanis  et  Helvetiis ;  vergit 
ad  septentriones. 


A  ROMAX  SCHOOL  9 

Mag.    Quos  deos  colunt  Galli,  Gnaei  Pompei  ? 

Gn,  Pom,  Deorum  maxime  Mercurium  colunt ;  hunc 
omnium  iiiventorem  artium  ferunt,  hunc  viarum  atque 
itinerum  ducem  esse  arbitrantur.  Post  hunc  Apollinem 
et  Martem  et  lovem  et  Mmervam  colunt.  5 

Mag,  Bene,  Gnaei.  Quem  deum,  Catilina,  colunt  Ro- 
man! maxime  ? 

L,  Cat,  Nos  lovem  divum  patrem  atque  hominum 
regem  maxime  colimus. 

Mag,   Nunc,  pueri,  cantate.   Quod  carmen  hodie  cante-  10 
mus  ?    (Many  hands  are  raised.)    Gai  Caesar,  quod  carmen 
tu  cantare  vis  ? 

Cr,  Caes,  Volo  ''  Milites  Christiani "  cantare. 

Mag,  Hoc  pulcherrimum  carmen  cantemus.   (A  knock  is 
heard.  Enter  Publius  Licinius  Crassus  and  Aulus  Licinius  Archias  15 
with  slaves  carrying  scrolls.)   Salvete,  amici.    Vos  advenisse 
gaudeo.    Nonne  adsldetis  ut  pueros  cantare  audiatis  ? 

A,  Archias,    lam  recte,  carmen  sane  audiamus. 

Mag.    Optime,  pueri,  cantemus.    IJnum,  duo,  tria. 

(All  rise  and  sing;  each  has  the  song^  before  him  on  a  scroll.) 

Milites  Christian!,  20 

Bello  pergite ; 

Caram  lesii  crucem 

Vos  provehite. 

Christus  rex,  magister, 

Diicit  agmina,  26 

Eius  iam  vexillum 

It  in  proelia. 

iTune  of  '^Onward,  Christian  Soldiers."  Slightly  altered  from 
Education^  Vol.  IX,  p.  187.  The  author  hopes  that  this  most  obvious 
anachronism  will  be  pardoned  on  the  ground  that  this  hymn  appeals 
to  young  pupils  more  than  most  Latin  songs,  and  is  therefore  enjoyed 
by  them  and  more  easily  learned. 


10  A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

Magnum  agmen  movet 
Dei  ecclesia. 
Gradimur    sanctorum, 
Fratres,  semita. 
6  Non  divisi  sumus, 

Unus  omnes  nos ; 
IJnus  spe,  doctrina, 
Caritate  nos. 

Throni  atque  regna 
10  Instabilia, 

Sed  per  lesum  constans 

Stat  ecclesia. 

Portae  non  gehennae 

Illam  vincere, 
16  Nee  promissus  lesu 

Potest  fallere. 

Popule,  beatis 
Vos  coniungite ! 
Carmina  triumph! 
20  Una  canite ; 

Christo  regi  honor, 
Laudes,  gloria, 
Angeli  hoc  canent 
Saecla  omnia. 

25  Mag,  lam,  pueri,  silentio  facto,  Gains  lulius  Caesar 
nobis  suam  orationem  habebit  quam  de  ambitione  sua 
composuit.  Hac  oratione  fmita,  Marcus  Tullius  Cicero 
suam  habebit.  Ut  pronuntiatum  est  compluribus  diebus 
ante,  hi  duo  pueri  de  praemio  inter  se  contendunt.    Hoc 

30  die  felicissimo  duo  clarissimi  et  honestissimi  viri  arbitri 
sunt,  Aulus  Licinius  Archias  et  Pubhus  Licinius  Crassus. 
In  rostra,  Gai  luli  Caesar,  escende ! 

(r.  Caes,   (Reads  from  a  scroll  or  recites.)  Mea  cara  ambitio 
est  peritus  dux  militum  fieri.    Bella  multa  et  magna 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL  11 

cum  gentibus  omnibus  nationibusque  orbis  terrae  gerere 
cupio. 

Bellum  inferre  volo  Germanis  et  insulae  Britanniae 
omnibusque  populis  Galliae  et  ceteris  qui  inimico  animo 
in  populum  Romanum  sunt.    In  primis,  in  insulam  Bri-  6 
tanniam  pervenire  cupio,  quae  omnis  fere  Romanis  est 
incognita,  et  cognoscere  quanta  sit  magnitudo  insulae. 

Volo  pontem  in  Rheno  aedificare  et  magnum  exercitum 
traducere  ut  metum  illis  Germanis  quibus  nostra  parvula 
corpora  contemptui  sunt  iniciam.  Ubi  Rhenum  ego  trans-  10 
iero,  non  diutius  gloriabuntur  illi  Germani  magnitudine 
suorum  corporum. 

Vos  sententiam  rogo,  indices  amplissimi,  nonne  est  haec 
ambitio  honesta  ? 

Deinde  res  gestas  meas  perscribam.    Negotium  huius  15 
historiae  legendae  pueris  dabo  mentium  exercendarum 
^  causa,  nam  mihi  credite,  commentarii  de  bello  Gallico 
utiles   erunt   ad   ingenia   acuenda   puerorum.    (DiscipuH 
applaud.) 

Mag.    Nunc  Marcus  nobis  de  sua  carissima  ambitione  20 
loquetur.    In  rostra  escende,  Marce  ! 

M,  Cic,  Quoad  longissime  potest  mens  mea  respicere 
et  ultimam  memoriam  recordari,  haec  mea  ambitio  fuit, 
ut  me  ad  scribendi  studium  conferam,  primum  Romae, 
deinde  in  aliis  urbibus.  25 

Ambitio  mea  autem  est  omnibus  antecellere  ingeni  mei 
gloria,  ut  haec  oratio  et  facultas,  quantacumque  in  me 
sit,  numquam  amic5rum  periculis  desit.  Nonne  est  haec 
ambitio  maximum  incitamentum  lab5rum  ? 

Deinde,  haec  est  mea  ambitio,  ut  consul  sim.    De  meo  30 
amore  gloriae  vobis  confitebor.    Volo  poetas  reperire  qui 


12  A  ROMAN  SCHOOL 

ad  gloriam  mei  consulatus  celebrandam  omne  ingenium 
conferant.    Nihil  me  mutum  poterit  delectare,  nihil  taci- 
turn.    Quid  enim,  nonne  desiderant  omnes  gloriam  et 
famam?    Quam  multos  scriptores  rerum  suarum  magnus 
5  ille  Alexander  secum  habuisse  dicitur !    Itaque,  ea  verba 
quae  pro  mea  consuetudine  breviter  simpliciterque  dixi,' 
arbitri,  confido  probata  esse  omnibus.    (DiscipuH  applaud.) 
Mag.   Ut  videtis,  arbitri  clarissimi,  pueri  anxiis  animis 
vestrum  decretum  exspectant.    Quae  cum  ita  sint,  peto 
10  a  vobis,  ut  testimonium  laudis  detis. 

A.  Archias.    Ambos  pueros,  magister,  maxime  lauda- 

mus,  sed  unus  solus  praemium  habere  potest.    Nos  non 

decernere   possumus.     Itaque    decrevimus   ut  hi   pueri 

ambo  inter  se  sortiantur  uter  praemium  obtineat.    Servi, 

15  urnam  proferte !    Nomma  in  urnam  iaciam.    Qui  habet 

.   nomen    quod    primum    educam,   is    victor    erit.     (Takes 

from  the  urn  a  small  chip  and  reads  the  name  Marcus  Tullius 

Cicero.)    Te,  Marce  Cicero,  victorem  esse  pronuntio.    Sic 

fata  decreverunt.  Servi,  coronam  ferte  !   (Places  a  wreath  of 

20  leaves  on  the  head  of  Marcus.    The  discipuli  again  applaud.) 

M.  Cic,  (going  up  to  Caesar).    Caesar,  noli  animo  frangi. 
Non  dubium  est  quin  tii  meliorem  orationem  habueris. 
Gr.  Caes.  (coolly).    Dis  aliter  visum  est. 
Mag,    Vos  ambo,  Gai  et  Marce,  honori  huic  scholae 
25  estis.     Utinam    ceteri  vos    imitentur.     Aliud   certamen 
hiiius  modi  mox  habebimus.    Loquemur  de  —    (A  knock 
is  heard.    Enter  Gains  Licinius  Crassus.) 
Gr.  Oras.    Mi  pater ! 

P.  Cras.    Mi  fili  !    (They  embrace.)  * 

30      Gr.  Cras.    Mater  mea  mihi  dixit  te  arbitrum  in  hoc  cer- 
tamine  hodie  esse.   Te  diiitius  exspectare  non  potui.   lam 


A  roma:n^  school  13 

diu  te  videre  cupio  et  ego  quoque  cupio  hoc  certamen 
audire.    Estne  coiifectum  ? 

P.  Cras,  Confectum  est.  Utinam  hi  pueri  te  recitare 
audiant !  Tu  eos  docere  possis  quomodo  discipuli  Rhodii 
in  schola  recitent.  6 

M,  Cic,  O  arbiter,  nobis  gratissimum  sit,  si  tuum  fiHum 
audire  possimus. 

Discipuli  (eagerly).    O  Crasse,  recita,  recita! 

G.  Cras,    Si  vobis   id  placet,  recitabo,  meum   tamen 
carmen  longum  est.    Eius  titulus  est  "  Pome  of  a  Pos-  10 
sum."    (Recites  with  gesticulation.) 

The  nox  was  lit  by  liix  of  liina, 

And  'twas  a  nox  most  opportuna 

To  catch  a  possum  or  a  coona ; 

For  nix  was  scattered  o'er  this  mundus,  15 

A  shallow  nix,  et  non  profundus. 

On  sic  a  nox,  with  canis  iinus. 

Two  boys  went  out  to  hunt  for  coonus. 

Unus  canis,  duo  puer, 

Xumquam  braver,  numquam  truer,  20 

^^  Quam  hoc  trio  quisquam  fuit. 

If  there  was,  I  never  knew  it. 
The  corpus  of  this  bonus  canis 
Was  full  as  long  as  octo  span  is. 

But  brevior  legs  had  canis  never  25 

Quam  had  hie  bonus  dog  et  clever. 
Some  used  to  say,  in  stultum  iocum, 
Quod  a  field  was  too  small  locum 
For  sic  a  dog  to  make  a  turnus 
Circum  self  from  stem  to  sternus.  30 

This  bonus  dog  had  one  bad  habit, 
Amabat  much  to  chase  a  rabbit ; 
Amabat  pliis  to  catch  a  rattus, 
Amabat  bene  tree  a  cattus. 


14  A  EOMAN  SCHOOL 

But  on  this  nixy  moonlight  night 
This  old  canis  did  just  right, 
Numquam  chased  a  starving  rattus, 
Numquam  treed  a  wretched  cattus, 
6  But  cucurrit  on,  intentus 

On  the  track  and  on  the  scentus. 
Till  he  treed  a  possum  strongum 
In  a  hollow  trunkum  longum. 
,  Loud  he  barked  in  horrid  bellum, 

10  Seemed  on  terra  venit  helium. 

Quickly  ran  uterque  puer 
Mors  of  possum  to  secure. 
Cum  venerunt,  one  began 
To  chop  away  like  quisque  man ; 

15  Soon  the  ax  went  through  the  trunkum. 

Soon  he  hit  it  all  kerchunkum ; 
Combat  deepens  ;  on,  ye  braves  ! 
Canis,  pueri,  et  staves ; 
As  his  powers  non  longius  tarry, 

20  Possum  potest  non  piignare  ; 

On  the  nix  his  corpus  lieth. 
Ad  the  Styx  his  spirit  flieth. 
Joyful  pueri,  canis  bonus 
Think  him  dead  as  any  stonus. 

25  Now  they  seek  their  pater's  domo. 

Feeling  proud  as  any  homo. 
Knowing,  certe,  they  will  blossom 
Into  heroes,  when  with  possum 
They  arrive,  narrabunt  story, 

30  Plenus  blood  et  plenior  glory. 

Pompey,  David,  Samson,  Caesar, 
Cyrus,  Black  Hawk,  Shalmaneser ! 
Tell  me  where  est  now  the  gloria. 
Where  the  honors  of  victoria? 

35  Cum  ad  domum  narrant  story, 

Plenus  sanguine,  tragic,  gory, 
Pater  praiseth,  likewise  mater. 
Wonders  greatly  younger  frater. 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL  15 

Possum  leave  they  on  the  mundus, 
Go  themselves  to  sleep  profundus, 
Somniant  possums  slain  in  battle 
Strong  as  ursae,  large  as  cattle. 

When  nox  gives  way  to  lux  of  morning,  6 

Albam  terram  much  adorning, 
Up  they  jump  to  see  the  varmen 
Of  which  this  here  is  the  carmen. 
Possum,  lo,  est  resurrectum  ! 

Ecce  puerum  deiectum  !  10 

Non  relinquit  track  behind  him, 
Et  the  pueri  never  find  him ; 
Cruel  possum,  bestia  vilest, 
How  tu  pueros  beguilest ; 

Pueri  think  non  plus  of  Caesar,  15 

Go  ad  Orcum,  Shalmaneser, 
Take  your  laurels,  cum  the  honor, 
Since  istud  possum  is  a  goner !  ^ 

(^Discipuli  applaud.) 

Mag.    OvcLiiQ^  qui  Gaio  Crasso  gratias   agere  velint, 
surgite  !    (All  stand.)    Nunc,  pueri,  domum  redite.  20 

Discipuli  (departing).  Vale,  magister.  Vale,  magister. 

1  Anonymous. 


COSTUMES 

The  maglster,  indices,  and  discipuli  should  all  wear  white  togas 
with  a  purple  ^  border.  A  white  gauze  shirt  with  short  sleeves  may- 
be used  as  a  tunic,  while  white  duck  trousers  and  tennis  slippers 
serve  to  complete  the  costume. 

The  togas  can  be  made  of  white  muslin  according  to  the  meas- 
urements and  cut  given  by  Professor  Johnston,^  which  he  has 


kindly  permitted  me  to  use.  "  Those  who  attempt  the  reconstruc- 
tion of  the  toga  wholly  or  chiefly  from  works  of  art  find  it  impos- 
sible to  reproduce  on  the  living  form  the  drapery  seen  on  the 
statues,  with  a  toga  of  one  piece  of  goods  or  of  a  semicircular 
pattern.    An  experimental  form  is  shown  in  the  figure,  and  re- 

1  That  is,  either  *'  the  color  of  clotted  blood  "  (which  was  the  Tyrian 
purple,  the  purple  above  all  others)  or  any  color  from  this  to  violet ; 
'^  purple  "  meant  the  dye  from  any  sort  of  univalve  mollusk  that  gave 
a  dye.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  genuine  Turkey  red,  though  not 
a  mollusk  dye,  was  commercially  called  a  purple. 

2  Johnston, ''Private  Life  of  the  Romans,"  Scott,  Foresman  &  Co., 
1903. 

16 


A  ROMAN  SCHOOL  17 

sembles  that  of  a  lamp  shade  cut  in  two  and  stretched  out  to  its 
full  extent.  The  dotted  line  6^C  is  the  straight  edge  of  the  goods  ; 
the  heavy  lines  show  the  shape  of  the  toga  after  it  had  been  cut  out, 
and  had  had  sewed  upon  it  the  ellipse-like  piece  m^Lrked  FBAcba. 
The  dotted  line  GE  is  of  a  length  equivalent  to  the  height  of  a 
maii  at  the  shoulder,  and  the  other  measurements  are  to  be  cal- 
culated proportionately.  When  the  toga  is  placed  on  the  figure 
the  point  E  must  be  on  the  left  shoulder,  with  the  point  G  touch- 
ing the  ground  in  front.  The  point  F  comes  at  the  back  of  the 
neck,  and  as  the  larger  part  of  the  garment  is  allowed  to  fall  be- 
hind the  figure  the  points  L  and  M  will  fall  on  the  calves  of  the 
legs  behind,  the  point  a  under  the  right  elbow,  and  the  point  b  on 
the  stomach.  The  material  is  carried  behind  the  back  and  under 
the  right  arm  and  then  thrown  over  the  left  shoulder  again.  The 
point  c  will  fall  on  E,  and  the  portion  OPCa  will  hang  down  the 
back  to  the  ground.  The  part  FEA  is  then  pulled  over  the  right 
shoulder  to  cover  the  right  side  of  the  chest  and  form  the  sinus, 
and  the  part  running  from  the  left  shoulder  to  the  ground  in  front 
is  pulled  up  out  of  the  way  of  the  feet,  worked  under  the  diagonal 
folds,  and  allowed  to  fall  out  a  little  to  the  front." 

The  servi  and  paedagogus  should  wear  tunics  of  some  coarse, 
dark-colored  material. 

In  small  schools,  where  there  is  not  a  sufficiently  large  number 
of  boys  in  the  Latin  classes  for  discipuli,  the  parts  may  be  taken 
by  girls.  Their  hair  should  fall  nearly  to  their  shoulders,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Roman  boy.  They  may  wear  unstarched  white 
skirts  under  the  toga. 

The  tahellae  may  be  made  of  little  book-shaped  slates  with 
wooden  borders  (paint  them  light-colored),  and  the  rolls  of  paper. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING 

63  B.C. 


TRES  SCAENAE 

Scaena  prima :      Sponsalia 
Scaena  secunda :  Nuptiae 
Scaena  tertia :       Deductio 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS 

Sp5nsa :  Tullia 

Sponsus :  Gains  Piso 

Sponsae  pater  :    Marcus  Tullius  Cicero 

Sponsae  mater :  Terentia 

Sponsi  pater  :       Lucius  Piso  Frugi 

Sponsi  mater 

Sponsae  frater  :  Marcus  Tullius  Cicero,  adulescens 

Flamen  Dialis 

Pontifex  Maximus 

luris  consultus 

Quintus  Hortensius 

Pronuba 

Signatores 

Tibiciues 

Lictores 


Marcipor 
Philotimus 
Tiro 
Anna 


Servi 


20 


A  EOMAN  WEDDING 

SCAENA  PRiMA 
SPONSALIA 

Let  the  curtain  be  raised,  showing  a  room  furnished  as  nearly  as 
possible  like  the  atrium  of  a  Roman  house.  A  bench,  covered  with 
tapestry,  on  each  side  of  the  stage  facilitates  the  seating  of  the  guests. 
Cicero  is  heard  practicing  an  oration  behind  the  scenes. 

M,  Cic,  O  rem  publicam  miserabilem !  Qua  re,  Qui- 
rites,  dubitatis  ?  O  di  immortales !  Ubinam  gentium 
sumus  ?  In  qua  urbe  vivimus  ?  Quam  rem  publicam 
habemus?  Vivis,  et  vivis  non  ad  deponendam  sed  ad 
confirmandam  tuam  audaciam.  5 

(Enter  Terentia.    A  slave,  Anna,  follows  bringing  a  boy's  toga, 

which  she  begins  to  sew,  under  Terentia's  direction.    Another 

slave,  Marcipor,  also  follows.) 

Nihil  agis,  nihil  moliris,  nihil  cogitas  quod  non  ego  non 
modo  audiam,  sed  videam.  Quae  cum  ita  sint,  Catilina, 
ex  urbe  egredere ;  patent  portae,  proficiscere.  Magno 
me  metu  liberabis  dum  modo  inter  me  atque  te  murus 
intersit.  Quid  est  enim,  Catilina,  quod  te  iam  in  hac  10 
urbe  delectare  possit  ?  Quamquam  quid  loquor  ?  Te  ut 
tilla  res  frangat  ?  (A  crash,  similar  to  that  of  falling  china,  is 
heard.) 

Terentia,    Quid  est  ?    Vide,  Marcipor ! 

21 


22  A  EOMAN  WEDDING 

(As  Marcipor  is  about  to  leave,  Philotimus  enters  at  the  right, 
bringing  in  his  hands  the  pieces  of  a  broken  vase.) 

Phil,  O  domina,  ecce,  dominus,  dum  orationem  medi- 
tatur,  vas  quod  ipse  tibi  e  Graecia  attulit,  manus  gestu 
demolitus  est. 

Terentia  (groaning).  Lege,  Philotime,  omnia  fragmenta. 
5  (Exit  Phil.)  Mihi,  Marcipor,  fer  cistam  ex  alabastrita  fac- 
tam.    (Exit  Mar.)    (To  herself.)   Tam  molestum  est  orator! 
nupsisse.    (Covers  her  face  with  her  hands,  as  if  weeping.) 

M,  Oic,  (proceeding  with  his  practicing).  Atque  hoc  quo- 
que  a  me  uno  togato  factum  est.  Marce  Tulli,  quid  agis  ? 
10  Interfectum  esse  Lucium  Catilinam  iam  pridem  oportebat. 
Quid  enim  mail  aut  sceleris  fingi  aut  cogitari  potest  quod 
ille  non  conceperit  ?  O  rem  publicam  fortunatam,  o 
praeclaram  laudem  mei  consulatus,  si  ex  vita  ille  exierit! 
Vix  f eram  sermones  hominum,  si  id  fecerit.  (Enter  Marci- 
15  por  with  a  small  box.) 

Mar.    Hie  est,  domina,  cista  tua. 

Terentia  (takes  from  her  bosom  a  key  and  opens  the  box, 
taking  out  a  package  of  letters,  one  of  which  she  reads).  *^  Sine 
te,  o  mea  Terentia  carissima,  sum  miserrimus.  Utinam 
20  domi  tecum  semper  manerem.  Quod  cum  non  possit, 
ad  me  cotidie  litteras  scribe.  Cura  ut  valeas  et  ita  tibi 
persuade,  mihi  te  carius  nihil  esse  nee  umquam  fuisse. 
Vale,  mea  Terentia,  quam  ego  videre  videor  itaque 
debilitor  lacrimis.  Cura,  cura  te,  mea  Terentia.  Etiam 
25  atque  etiam  vale." 

Quondam  litteras  amantissimas  scripsit ;  nunc  epistolia 
frigescunt.  Quondam  vas  mihi  dedit,  nunc  vas  mihi  de- 
molitur;  quondam  fuit  maritus,  nunc  est  orator.  Tam 
molestum  est  matrem  familias  esse. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  23 

(Enter  Cicero,  from  the  right,  followed  by  his  slave  Tiro,  carrying 
a  number  of  scrolls  which  he  places  upon  a  table.) 

M,  Cic.  Quid  est,  Terentia?  Quidnam  lacrimas? 
Mihi  die. 

Terentia,  Res  nullast !  Modo  putabam  quantum  mu- 
tatus  ab  illo  Cicerone  qui  me  in  matrimonium  duxerit, 
sit  Cicero  quem  hodie  video.  Tum  Terentiae  aliqua  ratio  5 
habebatur.  Nunc  vacat  Cicero  libris  modo  et  orationibus 
et  Catilinae.  Nescis  quantum  me  liuius  negoti  taedeat ! 
Nullum  tempus  habes  ad  consultandum  mecum  de  stu- 
diis  nostri  filioli.  Magister  de  eo  haec  hodie  rettulit. 
(Hands  Cicero  a  scroll.)   Me  pudet  fill.  10 

M,  Cic,  (reading  to  himself  the  report).  Dic  meo  fllio, 
Marcipor,  ut  ad  me  veniat.  (Exit  Marcipor,  who  returns 
bringing  young  Marcus.) 

M,  Cic,  a.    Quid  est,  pater  ? 

M,  Cic.    Tua  mater,  mi  fili,  animum  anxium  ob  banc  15 
reniintiationem  de  te  habet.    Me  quoque,  consulem  Roma- 
num,   Imius   renuntiationis   quibusdam  partibus  pudet. 
(Reads  aloud.)  ''Bis  absens."  Ciir,  mi  fili,  a  schola  afuisti? 

M,  Cic.  a.    Id  non  memoria  teneo. 

Terentia.    Sunt  multa  quae  memoria  non  tenes,  si  ego  20 
de  hac  renuntiatione  iudicare  possum. 

il/]  (7z(?.  (continues  reading).  ''Tardus  deciens! "  Deciens! 
Id  est  incredibile !  Filius  consulis  Romani  tardus  deciens ! 
Mater  tua  id  non  pati  debuit. 

Terentia  (angrily).  Mater  tua  id  non  pati  debuit !  Immo  25 
vero  pater  tuus  id  non  pati  debuit. 

M.  Cic,  "Ars  legendi  J.."  Id  quidem  satis  est.  "Ars 
scribendi  i)."  D\  Id  quidem  minime  satis  est.  Negator 
defuit  officio!  "Filius  tuus  dicit  scrip tiiram tempus  longius 


24  A  roma:n^  weddixg 

consumere.  Debet  se  in  scribendo  multum  exercere,  si 
scribere  modo  tolerabili  discere  vult.  Arithmetica  A, 
Huic  studio  operam  dat.  Declamatio  A.  Omnibus  facile 
hoc  studio  antecellit."  Bene,  mi  fill.  Ea  pars  huius  re- 
5  nuntiationis  mihi  magnopere  placet.  Orator  clarissimus 
olim  eris. 

Terentia,    Unus  orator  apud  nos  satis  est. 

M,  Cic,  a.  Orator  ero  olim  nihilo  minus.  Facile  est 
oratorem  fieri.  Declamatio  est  f  acillima.  Hodie  in  schola 
10  banc  declamationem  didici : 

Omnia  tempus  edax  depascitur,  omnia  carpit, 

Omnia  sede  movet,  nil  sinit  esse  diu. 
Flumina  deficiunt,  profugum  mare  lltora  siccant, 

Subsidunt  monies  et  iuga  celsa  ruunt. 
16  Quid  tam  parva  loquor  ?   moles  pulcherrima  caell 

Ardebit  flammis  tota  repente  suis. 
Omnia  mors  poscit.    Lex  est,  non  poena,  perire  : 

Hie  aliquo  mundus  tempore  nullus  erit. 

Terentia,    Talis  declamatio  est  facilis.    Audi  quid  de 
20  geometria  tua  relatum  sit.   Geometria  magis  quam  decla- 
matio ostendit  utrum  tu  mentem  exerceas. 

M,  Cic,  (continues  reading).    ''  Geometria  .D."    Magister 

haec  scripsit:   ''Filius  tuns  dicit  geometriam  oratoribus 

inutilem  esse.    El  diligenter  domi  laborandum  est."    O 

25  Marce,  hoc  est  incredibile !    Num  dixisti  tu  geometriam 

oratoribus  inutilem  esse  ? 

M,  Cic,  a,   O,  studium  geometriae  mihi  odiosum  ingra- 

tumque  est !   Omnes  pueros  istius  taedet.   Tanti  non  est ! 

M.  Cic,    Etiam  si  studium  tu  non  amas,  geometriam 

30  discere  debes.    Tibi  centum  sestertios  dabo  si  summam 

notam  in  geometria  proximo  mense  adeptus  eris. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  25 

M.  Cic,  a.  (grasping  his  father's  hand).  Amo  te,  pater, 
convenit !    Earn  adipiscar ! 

Terentia  (to  Anna).    Estne  toga  parata  ? 

Anna,    Parata  est,  domina. 

Terentia,    Hue  veni,  Marce  !  5 

M,  Cie.  a.   O  mater,  tempus  perdere  nolo.   Malo  legere. 

Terentia,  Quid  dicis  ?  Non  vis  ?  Nonne  vis  novam 
togam  habere  ? 

M,  Cic,  a.    Nolo.    Nova  mi  nil  opus  est.    Tam  fessus 
sum !     (Picks  up  a  scroll  and  is  about  to  take  a  seat  in  the  10 
corner.) 

M.  Cic,    Ad  matrem  tuam,  Marce  Cicero,  sine  mora, 
accede ! 
(Marcus  is  about  to  obey  when  a  knock  is  heard  at  the  door. 
Lucius  Piso  Frugi  and  Quintus  Hortensius  enter  at  the  left.) 

M,  Cic,  (greeting  Q.  Hortensius).  O  amici,  salvete  !  ut 
valetis  ?  15 

Terentia  (greeting  L.  Piso).  Di  duint  vobis  quaecumque 
optetis.  Ciceroni  modo  dicebam  n5s  diu  vos  non  videre, 
praesertim  te,  Piso.  Marcipor,  ubi  est  Tullia  ?  Ei  die  ut 
hiic  veniat. 

L,  Piso,    Noli  Tulliam  vocare.    Nunc  cum  parentibus  20 
Tulliae  agere  volo,  non  cum  Tullia  ipsa. 

Terentia,  Non  vis  nostram  Tulliam  videre !  Quid, 
scire  volo  ? 

L,  Piso,   Cum  ea  hoc  tempore  agere  non  cupio.   Id 
propter  quod  in   vestram    domum    hodie    veni   tua   et  25 
Ciceronis  refert.    Velim  vobiscum  agere  pro  meo  filio, 
Gaio  Pisone,  qui  filiam  tuam  in  matrimonium  ducere  vult. 

M,  Cic,  Meam  filiam  in  matrimonium  ducere !  Mea 
Tulliola  nondum  satis  matura  est  ut  niibat.    Mea  filia 


26  A  ROMAN  WEDDING 

mihi  carior  vita  ipsa  est.  Earn  amittere  ...  id  non  ferre 
possum.  Ea  lux  nostra  est.  Mea  Tulliola  nihil  umquam 
amabilius,  nee  longa  vita  ac  prope  immortalitate  dig- 
nius  vidi.   Nondum  annos  quattuordecim  implevit  et  iam 

5  eius  prudentia  est  mirabilis.  Ut  magistros  amat !  Quam 
intellegenter  legit !  Non  possum  verbis  exprimere  quanto 
vulnere  animo  percutiar  si  meam  Tulliolam  amittam. 
Utinam  penitus  intellegeres  meos  sensus,  quanta  vis  pa- 
ternl  sit  amoris. 

10  L.  Piso,  Talia  verba,  Marce  TullI,  virl  RomanI  non 
propria  sunt.  Necesse  est  omnes  nostras  fllias  in  matri- 
monium  demus.    Nihil  aliud  exspecta. 

Terentia.  Nostra  filia  omnibus  gratissima  est.  Semper 
enim  lepida  et  llberalis  est.    Iam  diu  scio  nos  eam  non 

15  semper  retinere  posse. 

L.  Piso,  Recte,  recte !  Mens  fllius  bonus  est ;  est 
orator.  Est  quoque  satis  dives.  Romae  duas  aedes 
habet ;  rure  magnificentissima  villa  est  ei.  Cum  illo 
fIlia  tua  fellx   erit.    Id  mihi  persuasum  habeo.    Quae 

20  cum  ita  sint,  Marce  TullI,  sine  dote  tuam  flliam  meo 
filio  posco. 

M,  Cic,  Prohibeant  di  immortales  eondicionem  eius 
modi.  Cum  mea  fIlia  in  matrimonium  danda  sit,  neminem 
cognovl  qui  ilia  dignior  sit  quam  tuus  fllius  egregius. 

25  L.  Piso  (shaking  hands  with  Cicero).  O  Marce,  ml  amice, 
dl  te  respiciant!  Nunc  mihi  eundum  est  ut  fllium  et 
signatores  arcessam  et  iam  hue  revertar. 

(Exeunt  L.  Piso  and  Q.  Hortensius.) 
Terentia,    Die,  Marcipor,  servis  ut  in  cullna  vinum, 
fructus,  placentas  parent.     (Exit  Marcipor.)    Marce,  fill, 

30  sororem  voca. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  27 

M,  Cic.  a,  Tullia,  6  Tullia, 

Soror  mea  bella, 
Amatores  tibi  sunt 
*  Piso  et  Dolabella. 

(Enter  Tullia  at  the  right.) 

Amatne  Piso  te,  5 

Etiam  Dolabella? 

Tullia,  6  Tullia, 

Soror  mea  bella, 

Pisonem  tuum  maritum  fac  ; 

Non  gratus  Dolabella.  10 

Tullia,    O  Marce,  tui  me  taedet.    Quid  est,  mater  ? 

Terentia.  Tullia,  nonne  est  Gaius  Piso  tibi  gratissimus  ? 

Tullia,    O,  mihi  satis  placet.    Cur  me  rogas,  mater  ? 

Terentia,  Rogo,  mea  f  ilia,  quod  Piso  te  in  matrimonium 
ducere  vult.    Tibi  placetne  hoc  ?  16 

Tullia,    Mihi  placet  si  — 

Terentia,    Si  —  quid,  mea  fiHa  ? 

Tullia,  O  mater,  nolo  nubere.  Sum  fellx  tecum  et  patre 
et  Marco.  Vixi  tantum  quattuordecim  annos.  Puella 
diutius  esse  volo,  non  mater  familias.  20 

Terentia,  Piso  dives  est.  Pater  tuus  non  magnas  divi- 
tias  nunc  habet.  Meum  argentum  quoque  consumptum 
est.  Etiam  haec  domus  nostra  non  diutius  erit.  Quid 
f  aciamus  si  tu  non  bene  nubes  ? 

Tullia,  Scio  patrem  meum  non  magnas  possessiones  25 
habere  ;  quid  vero,  mater  ?  ServiHa,  Luculli  sponsa,  qui 
modo  rediit  spoliis  Orientis  onustus,  semper  suam  for- 
tunam  queritur.  Misera  Lucullum  odit  ac  detestatur. 
Hesterno  die  meis  auribus  Servlliam  haec  verba  dicere 
audivi :  ''  Me  miseram  !  Infellcissimam  vltam  !  Feminam  30 
maestam!  quidfaciam?  Mihi  delectus  est  maritus  odiosus. 


28  .  A  ROMAN  WEDDING 

Nemo  rogavit  qui  vir  mihi  maxime  placeat.    Coniugem 
novum  odero,  id  certum  est.    Prae   lacrimis  non  iam 
loqul  possum."    O  mater!  ego  sum  aeque  tristis  ac  Ser- 
vilia.    Nolo  Gaio  Pisoni  nubere.    Nulli  homiiiT,  neque 
6  Romano  neque  peregrino,  quem  viderim,  nubere  volo. 
Terentia,    Tullia,  mea  filia,  matris  et  nostrae  domus 
miserere !    Hodie  pater  a  me  argentum  postulabat  quod 
ei  dare  non  poteram.   Piso  ditissimus  est  et  nobis  auxilio 
esse  potest.   Parentum  tuorum  causa  te  oro  ne  hunc  egre-^ 
10  gium  adulescentem  asperneris. 

Tullia.   O  Serviliam  et  Tulliam,  ambas  miseras  !   Quid 
dicis  tu,  mi  pater  ?  Vis  tu  quoque  me  in  matrimonium  dare  ? 
M.  Cic.    O  mea  Tulliola,  me  noli  rogare.   Nescis  quan- 
tum ego  te  amem.    Sine  te  vivere  non  potero.    Id  mihi 
15  persuasum  habeo.   Puto  tamen,  si  pacem  apud  nos  habere 
velimus,  te  matris  iussa  sequi  necesse  esse. 

Tullia,  Volo,  mi  pater,  te  pacem  habere.  Tua  vita  tam 
perturbata  f uit.    Nubam,  sed  o  me  miseram ! 

(A  knock  is  heard.    Enter  from  the  left  L.  Piso,  Gains  Piso,  and 

the  signatores.     They  are  greeted  by  Cicero  and  Terentia  and 

seated  by  slaves.) 

Terentia  (as  she  receives  them).    Multum  salvete,  5  amici. 
20  Tulliae  vix  persuadere  poteram,  tamen  non  iam  invita  est. 

L,  Piso,  Bene,  bene,  hie  est  mihi  dies  gratissimus. 
Parata  sunt  omnia  ? 

Terentia,    Omnia  parata  sunt,  sed  juris  consultus  non- 
dum  venit. 
25      L,  Piso,    Ille  quidem  ad  tempus  adesse  pollicitus  est. 

Terentia,  Id  spero.  Tibicines,  Marcipor,  hiic  arcesse. 
(Enter  Q.  Hortensius  and  his  wife,  together  with  the  pronuba  and 
the  iuris  consultus.)  Salvete,  mei  amici.    Adsidite  si  placet. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  29 

luris  con.  Si  mihi  veniam  dabitis,  non  diu  morari 
velim.  Instans  negotium  me  in  foro  flagitat.  Mihi  ma- 
turandum  est.  (Goes  to  a  table  with  M.  Cicero  and  busies 
himself  with  the  tabulae  nuptiales.) 

L,  Piso,    Maturemus !    Gai  et  Tullia,  ad  me  venite !  5 
(To  Cicero.)  Spondesne  Tulliam,  tuam  filiam,  meo  filio 
uxorem  dari? 

M,  Cic.    Di  bene  vertant !    Spondeo. 

L,  Piso.    Di  bene  vertant ! 

Gr,  Piso  (placing  a  ring  on  the  fourth  finger  of  Tullia's  left  10 
hand).  Hunc  anulum  qui  meum  longum  amorem  testetur 
accipe.  Manum,  Tullia,  tibi  do,  et  vim  bracchiorum  et 
celeritatem  pedum  et  gloriam  meorum  patrum.  Te  amo, 
pulchra  puella.  Te  unam  semper  amabo.  Mihi  es  tu 
carior  omnibus  quae  in  terra  eaeloque  sunt.  Felices  15 
semper  simus ! 

luris  con.  Tabulae  nuptiales  sunt  paratae  et  ecce  con- 
diciones.  (Reads.)  ''Hoc  die,  pridie  Idus  Apriles,  anno  ses- 
centesimo  nonagesimo  primo  post  Romam  conditam,  M. 
Tullio  Cicerone  Gaio  Antonio  consulibus,  ego  M.  Tullius  20 
Cicero  meam  filiam  Tulliam  Gaio  Calpurnio  Luci  filio 
Pisoni  spondeo.  Eam  cum  dote  dare  spondeo.  Ea  dos  erit 
quindecim  milia  sestertium."  (Turning  to  Gaius.)  Gai  Piso, 
spondesne  te  Tulliam  semper  amaturum  culttirumque  ? 

Gr.  Piso.    Id  spondeo.  25 

Iwis  con.  Spondesne  tu,  Tullia,  te  Gaio  Pisoni  sem- 
per obsecutiiram  esse  ? 

Tullia.    Id  spondeo. 

luris  con.  (stamping  the  tabulae  with  a  seal).    Nunc  sub- 
scribite !    Tu  primus,  Cicero,  deinde  Terentia  et  Tullia  30 
et  Gains. 


80 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING 


(The  tibicines  play  softly  and  the  servi  pass  wine,  dried  fruit,  and 
small  cakes.  Tullia,  taking  her  glass  of  wine,  steps  forward  and 
pours  a  little  out  as  an  offering  to  the  gods.  After  the  witnesses 
have  signed  in  turn,  the  following  words  of  congratulation  are 

spoken.) 

Q.  Hot,  Beati  vivatis,  Piso  et  Tullia !  Omnes  sponso 
et  sponsae  salutem  propinemus  !  (All  drink  to  the  health  of 
the  betrothed.) 

M.  Cic.  a,    Sint  di  semper  volentes  propitiique  ipsis 
5  domui  f amiliaeque.    Sit  vobis  f ortuna  benigna ! 

M,  Cic.  Tibi  gratulor,  Piso.  Tu  pulcherrimam  et  op- 
timam  puellam  totius  Romae  adeptus  es. 

Pronuha.    O  fortunate  aduleseens  qui  talem  puellam 
inveneris ! 
10       luris  con.    Signaveruntne  omnes  ?     Tu,  Quinte  Hor- 
tensi,  nondum  subscripsisti. 

Q.  Hot.    Id  statim  faciam.  (Signs.) 

Pronuha.    Nunc  omnes  cantemus  ! 

(All  join  in  singing,  accompanied  by  the  tibicines.) 


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A  ROMAN  WEDDING 


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1186  -  e,    Hy-menad  -  es  O    Hy-me-nae-e. 


SECUNDA  SCAENA 


NUPTIAE 

The  house  is  adorned  with  wool,  flowers,  tapestry,  and  boughs. 

The  Pontifex  Maximus  (wearing  a  white  fillet)  and  the  Flamen 
Dialis  enter  from  opposite  sides,  each  preceded  by  a  lictor  with  fasces, 
who  remains  standing  at  the  side  of  the  stage,  while  the  priests  pass  on 
to  the  altar.  The  Flamen  burns  incense.  A  slave  brings  in  a  pigeon 
on  a  silver  tray  and  hands  it  to  the  Flamen,  while  another  hands  to 
the  Pontifex  from  a  basket  a  plate  of  meal  and  one  with  crackers. 

The  priests,  taking  respectively  the  bird  and  the  meal,  hold  them 
high  above  their  heads  and  look  up  devoutly,  after  which  the  bridal 
party  enters,  from  the  left,  in  the  following  order  : 

The  bride,  preceded  by  the  pronuba,  comes  first.  Both  take  their 
places,  standing  at  the  right  of  the  altar ;  next  the  groom,  preceded 
by  the  boys,  takes  his  stand  near  the  bride,  a  little  to  the  left ;  the 
guests  follow  and  are  seated. 

Cicero  hands  wine  to  the  priests,  with  which  they  sprinkle  the 
sacrifices. 

As  the  Flamen  again  looks  up  and  raises  his  hands  above  his  head, 
all  kneel  except  the  priests  and  lictors,  while  he  pronounces  the  fol- 
lowing solemn  words : 

Auspicia  secunda  sunt.  Magna  gratia  dis  immortalibus 
habenda  est.    Auspicia  secunda  sunt. 

After  all  have  risen,  the  pronuba,  placing  her  hands  upon  the  shoul- 
der of  the  bride  and  groom,  conducts  them  to  the  front  of  the  altar. 
There  she  joins  their  hands  and  they  walk  around  the  altar  twice, 
hand  in  hand,  stopping  in  front  when  the  ceremony  proper  begins. 

Again  the  Flamen  says  : 

Auspicia  secunda  sunt. 

The  Pontifex  hands  the  groom  a  cracker,  of  which  he  partakes, 
passing  it  on  to  the  bride.  The  pronuba  puts  back  the  veil,  and  after 
the  bride  has  eaten  the  cracker  she  says  to  the  groom  : 

32 


A  ROMAX  WEDDING  33 

Ubi  tu  Gains,  ego  Gaia. 

Both  are  then  conducted  by  the  pronuba  to  two  chairs,  placed  side 
by  side,  at  the  right  of  the  altar,  covered  with  the  skin  of  a  sheep. 
They  face  the  altar  and  the  pronuba  covers  their  heads  with  a  large 
veil.    (Place  the  same  veil  over  both.) 

Pontifex  Maximus  (making  an  offering  of  meal  to  Jupiter). 

luppiter  omnipotens  divum  pater  atque  hominum  rex, 
Hos  sponsos  bene  respicias,  faveasque  per  annos. 
luppiter  omnipotens,  precibus  si  flecteris  iillis  6 

Aspice  eos,  hoc  tantum,  et  si  pietate  merentur, 
Da  cursum  vitae  iiicundum  et  commoda  sparge 
'   Multa  manii  plena ;  vires  validasque  per  menses 
Hi  habeant,  pueros  pulchros  fortesque  nepotes. 
Rebus  iiicundis  quibus  adsis  luppiter  semper.  10 

Flamen  DiaKs. 

Innd  quae  incedis  divum  regina  lovisque 

Coniunx  et  soror,  hos  sponsos  serva  atque  tuere. 

Sint  et  f elices,  fortes,  pietate  supremi ; 

Magna  cum  virtiite  incedant  omnibus  annis,  15 

Semper  fortunati,  semper  et  usque  beati. 

(The  pronuba  now  uncovers  the  heads  of  the  wedded  pair  and 
they  receive  congratulations.) 

L,  Piso,    Beat!  vivatis,  Gai  et  Tullia ! 

Terentia.  Vobis  sint  di  semper  fansti ! 

M.  Cic.  a,  Vobis  ambobns  gratnlor.  Sed  nulla  res 
levis  est  matrimoninm.    Quid,  Tullia  ?  20 

Tullia.  Recte  dicis,  frater,  matrimonlum  non  in  lev! 
habendum  est. 

M.  Cic.    Sint  omnes  dies  felices  aeque  ac  hie  die^ 

Pronuba,    Spero,  mei  amici,  omnes  dies  vobis  laetissi 

mos  futiiros  esse.  25 

(The  curtain  falls.    The  priests  and  lictors  retire,  all  the  rest, 

except  Terentia  and  Tullia,  keeping  the  same  position  for  the 

next  scene.) 


SCAENA  TERTIA 


DEDUCTIO 


The  guests  are  sitting  about  the  room.  The  bride  is  sitting  on  her 
mother's  lap.  Her  wedding  ornaments  have  been  taken  off  and  she  is 
closely  veiled.  The  groom  takes  her  as  if  by  force  from  her  mother's 
arms. 

Tullia.  O  mater,  mater,  nolo  a  te  et  patre  meo  dis- 
cedere.    O,  me  miseram ! 

Terentia,    I,  filia,  i!    Saepe  tuos  parentes  et  fratrem 
visere  poteris.    Necesse  est  nunc  cum  marito  eas. 
5       (r.  Piso,    Mihi,  Tullia,  carior  vita  es.    Te  non  pigebit 
coniugem  meam  fieri.  '  Id  polliceor.    Mecum  veni,  Tullia 
carissima ! 

Tullia,    Sic  esto.   Prius  mustaceum  edendum  est.  (She 
cuts  the  wedding  cake  and  all  partake.) 
10      L,  Pisonis  uxor.    Hoc  mustaceum  optimum  est.    Hoc 
fecistine  tu,  Tullia  ? 

Tullia,  Nihil  temporis  habebam  quo  mustaceum  face- 
rem.    Multa  mihi  uno  tempore  agenda  erant. 

Terentia,    Tullia  mustaceum  facere  potest  si  spatium 
15  datur. 

M,  Cie,  a,  (taking  another  piece  of  cake).  Tullia  est  deli- 
ciae  puellae.  Si  unum  modo  mustaceum  habemus,  ad 
novam  domum  Tulliae  proficiscamur. 

(Others  cry  out)  Eamus  ! 

The  curtain  falls.  A  frame  to  represent  the  door  of  a  Roman 
house  is  placed  to  the  left  of  the  stage ;  a  small  altar  stands  at 

34 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  35 

the  right;  a  circular  piece  of  wood  with  holes  bored  in  it  as  a 
receptacle  for  the  torches  (common  wax  candles)  is  placed  on  top 
of  the  altar  used  by  the  priests.  The  procession  to  the  groom's 
house  advances  from  the  left  in  the  following  order : 

The  flute-players  first,  followed  by  a  lad  carrying  a  torch  and 
vase ;  next  the  bride,  supported  on  either  side  by  a  boy ;  the 
groom,  throwing  nuts  to  those  in  the  street,  walks  at  the  side ;  a 
boy  follows,  carrying  the  bride's  spindle ;  the  others  follow,  two 
by  two,  all  carrying  torches  and  singing : 

Hespere,  qui  caelo  f ertur  crMelior  ignis  ? 

Qui  natam  possis  complexii  avellere  matris, 

Complexu.  matris  retinentem  avellere  natam 

Et  iuveni  ardenti  castam  donare  puellam. 

Quid  f  aciunt  hostes  capta  criidelius  urbe  ?  5 

Hymen  o  Hymenaee,  Hymen  ades  o  Hymenaee. 

When  the  groom's  house  is  reached,  the  bride  winds  the  door 
posts  with  woolen  bands  and  anoints  them  with  oil  to  signify 
health  and  plenty.  She  is  then  lifted  over  the  threshold  by  two 
boys  to  prevent  possible  stumbling.  The  groom,  Cicero,  Terentia, 
L.  Piso  and  his  wife,  enter  the  house  and  place  their  torches  on  the 
altar  ;  the  others  remain  standing  outside.  All  continue  singing, 
accompanied  by  the  flute-players,  until  after  the  groom  hands 
to  the  bride  a  dish,  on  which  incense  is  burning,  and  a  bowl  of 
water,  which  both  touch  in  token  of  mutual  purity,  and  Tullia 
again  repeats  the  words  : 

Ubi  tii  Gains,  ego  Gaia. 

(t.  Piso  (presenting  to  her  the  keys,  which  she  fastens  in  her 
girdle).  Sit  felix  nostra  vita!  Claves  meae  domiis,  mea 
uxor,  accipe !  10 

Tullia  kindles  the  fire  on  the  altar  with  her  torch,  and  then 
throws  it  to  a  girl  outside.  The  girl  who  catches  the  torch  ex- 
claims : 


36  A  ROMAN  WEDDING 

O  me  f elicissimam !  proxima  Tulliae  nubam. 

(Tullia  kneels  at  the  altar  and  offers  prayer  to  Juno.) 

luno,  es  auctor  munerum, 
luno,  mater  omnium, 
Nobis  da  nunc  gaudium. 
luno,  adiutrix  es  hominum, 
liino,  summa  caelitum, 
Nobis  sis  auxilium. 


Roman  Marriage 


COSTUMES  AND  SUGGESTIONS 


The  bride  wears  a  white  dress  trimmed  with  purple  fringe,  a 
girdle  of  crimson  wool,  and  a  long  yellow  veil.  She  has  on  many 
bright-colored  ribbons,  many  bracelets  and  rings,  and  high  yellow 
shoes  with  buckles.  Her  hair  is  arranged  in  six  locks  parted  by 
the  point  of  a  spear  and  held  in  place  by  vittae  or  bands. 

The  Pontifex  should  have  a  band  of  purple  three  inches  wide 
around  the  bottom  of  his  toga. 

The  boys  should  wear  straight  robes  reaching  to  the  knee  and 
gathered  at  the  shoulders.  The  garb  of  the  statue  **  Diana  of  the 
Hind  "  is  a  good  illustration. 

The  slaves  wear  bright-colored  tunics  reaching  to  the  knees. 

37 


38  A  RO.AIAX   WEDDrXG 

Valuable  suggestions  may  be  found  in  Johnston's  ''  Private  Life 
of  the  Romans,"  "  Harper's  Dictionary  of  Classical  Antiquities," 
and  Harper'' s  Magazine,  Vol.  46. 

The  individual  parts  should  be  thoroughly  learned  and  prac- 
ticed before  a  full  rehearsal  is  attempted. 

Especial  emphasis  should  be  placed  upon  the  necessity  of  re- 
citing the  parts  slowly  and  distinctly. 

The  signing  of  the  tabulae  nuptiales  was  a  part  of  the  nuptlae, 
but  it  has  been  introduced  during  the  sponsalia  to  give  better 
balance  to  the  play.  Wherever  permissible,  very  simple  Latin  has 
been  used  in  order  to  render  the  task  of  memorizing  as  easy  as 
possible. 


SCEX^E  I 

SPONSALIA  —  BETROTHAL 

Cicero's  house.  Terentia  complains  that  Cicero  neglects  her 
and  that  he  devotes  too  much  time  to  the  prosecution  of  Catiline 
and  to  study.  The  school  report  (renuntiatio)  of  her  son,  the 
young  Cicero,  also  causes  her  anxiety.  Marcus  junior  adds  to  her 
anxiety  by  affirming  that  he  wishes  to  become  an  orator  like  his 
father.  He  promises,  however,  that  he  will  study  his  geometry 
more  diligently  and  thereby  gain  the  reward  offered  by  Cicero. 
Lucius  Piso  calls  at  Cicero's  home  to  ask  the  hand  of  Tullia  for 
his  son  Gains  Piso.  Terentia  is  pleased  with  the  prospect  of 
marrying  her  daughter  so  well.  Tullia  herself  and  Cicero  prefer 
to  wait  until  Tullia  is  older.  Tullia  says  she  can  sympathize 
with  Servilia  and  others  who  have  no  girlhood  on  account  of 
marrying  so  young;  but  finally  she  yields  to  her  mother's  wish 
and  consents  to  become  betrothed  to  Gains.  The  witnesses  arrive 
and  the  betrothal  (sponsalia)  takes  place.  The  marriage  contract 
(tabulae  nuptiales)  is  signed,  showing  the  amount  of  dowry.  Re- 
freshments are  partaken  of,  following  a  libation  in  honor  of  the 
gods.   Congratulations  are  offered  and  the  wedding  hymn  is  sung. 


A  ROMAN  WEDDING  39 

SCENE  II 

NUPTIAE  —WEDDING-  CEREMONY 

The  auspices  are  taken  and  pronounced  favorable.  The  groom 
and  bride  assume  the  names  of  Gains  and  Gaia,  respectively. 
These  particular  names  were  chosen,  according  to  some,  out  of 
respect  to  the  noted  spinner  Gains  and  his  royal  wife,  who  were 
held  by  the  Romans  as  a  pattern  of  conjugal  fidelity  and  skilled 
industry ;  according  to  others,  because  of  the  derivation  from 
gaudere.  Tullia  with  the  words  "Ubi  tu  Gaius,  ego  Gaia"  (where 
you  are  Gaius,  I  am  Gaia)  signifies  her  willingness  to  enter  the 
gens  of  her  husband.  The  eating  of  the  cake  presented  by  the 
Pontifex  (confarreatio)  is  the  most  important  part  of  the  cere- 
mony, suggesting  the  sacramental  view  of  marriage.  The  skin 
upon  which  the  bride  and  groom  are  seated  is  supposed  to  be 
that  of  the  sheep  sacrificed  before  the  ceremony  begins.  Prayer 
is  offered  to  Jupiter  by  the  Pontifex,  and  to  Juno  by  the  Flamen 
Dialis,  after  which  congratulations  are  offered. 

SCENE  III 

DEDUCTIO  —  PROCESSION  TO  THE  GROOM'S  HOUSE 

The  bride  is  taken,  to  all  appearances,  by  force  from  her 
mother's  embrace,  —  a  survival  of  the  marriage  by  capture,  or, 
as  the  Romans  themselves  put  it,  a  reminiscence  of  the  Sabine 
marriage.  The  mustaceum,  or  wedding  cake,  is  eaten,  and  the 
procession  begins,  all  singing  the  wedding  hymn.  The  groom 
throws  nuts  to  the  boys  in  the  street  as  a  sign  that  he  will  now 
put  away  childish  things.  Arriving  at  the  groom's  house,  the 
bride  anoints  the  doorposts  with  oil  to  signify  health  and  plenty, 
and  then  offers  a  prayer  for  future  happiness. 


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